Trailers (e.g., recreational trailers, utility trailers, boat trailers, semi-trailers, and the like) may be towed by vehicles (e.g., automobiles and trucks). Some trailers are provided with trailer brakes, such as electric trailer brakes. Electric trailer brakes typically include brake shoes that frictionally engage a drum when activated. In such systems, an electromagnet is typically mounted on one end of a lever in order to actuate the brake shoes. When an electric current is applied to the electromagnet, the lever is pivoted as the electromagnet is drawn against the rotating brake drum, thereby actuating the electric trailer brakes. Electric braking systems include a trailer brake controller coupled to the towing vehicle that controls the application of the electric current to the trailer brakes, and thereby controls trailer braking. It may be desirable to determine an operational status of trailer brakes to determine whether the trailer brakes are malfunctioning, whether the trailer brakes are connected, etc.
Accordingly, a need exists for systems and vehicles for determining an operational status of at least one trailer brake.